Perennial Bloom
by Brad Forenza, MSW, PhD, and Marie-Danielle Attis, PhD student
The sakura tree’s beauty cannot be denied; however, when first planted, it doesn’t look like much. We water it, protect it from the elements, and make sure its foundation is fertile and nourished. In this way, when its blossoms peak each spring, the sakura presents a fabulous tapestry, elevated by the unique contributions of its fellow cherry blossoms. The care and maintenance afforded to each—in service to optimal, collective health—is analogous to a social worker’s investment in (and advocacy for) preventive care, accessible insurance, and routine maintenance at the micro level. This, in turn, elevates our collective well-being (after all, we’re only as good as the sum of our parts).
Dr. Jeannette Takumura, MSW, started her career as a community-based practitioner in her home state of Hawaii. This allowed Takamura to understand the utility of prevention-oriented policies and how social workers, such as herself, could fill gaps at state and local levels, in service to consumer groups. Throughout Takamura’s progressively responsible career, her profile expanded to include appointed roles in state and federal administrations. This culminated in Takamura becoming the nation’s Assistant Secretary for Aging (1997-2001), the second person—and first social worker—to assume the job.
For new social workers, the arc of Takamura’s macro practice illustrates the importance of thinking structurally about social problems—of pursuing programmatic solutions that serve individuals, while elevating our collective well-being. For Takamura, the sakura’s bloom is indeed beautiful, but the real artistry lies in the unseen, ongoing work that comes before and after peak bloom. And as Dr. Takamura implies in the allied video profile, the grand challenge for today’s social workers is how to keep the bloom perennial, in spite of the elements around us.
Brad Forenza, MSW, PhD, is an associate professor at Montclair State University and a recognized scholar of social policy. His research foci pertain to youth development, primary prevention, and civic engagement. His academic career is accentuated by direct social work practice at youth and family development agencies, program evaluation for clients in the human services, and public policy analysis at the state and federal levels. He regularly publishes and presents his work in national and international forums. His original, public scholarship also extends to the organization of practice-oriented events and panels, the production of documentary film and a social welfare podcast, and the authorship of practitioner interviews and many policy speeches.
Marie-Danielle Attis is the Assistant Director for the Center for Student Involvement and Coordinator for the Office of Violence Prevention and oversees the Women Center and LGBTQ+ Services at Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she leads campus-wide initiatives addressing sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking while fostering supportive environments for diverse student communities. Marie is dedicated to social justice and advancing equity, inclusion, and student well-being within higher education. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Family Science in Human Development at Montclair State University.